Gerry Brownlee
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National’s many and varied Covid border policies
Written By: - Date published: 7:31 am, September 24th, 2020 - 12 comments
On Tuesday National announced the fifth variation of its Covid border policy this year.
What did Brownlee know about Southern Response’s misleading and deceptive conduct?
Written By: - Date published: 4:37 pm, September 8th, 2020 - 27 comments
The Court of Appeal has ruled that Southern Response has engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct and has potentially short changed thousands of Cantabrians hundreds of millions of dollars.
Is New Zealand or the United States the Covid cot case?
Written By: - Date published: 9:39 am, August 22nd, 2020 - 28 comments
This week Donald Trump has defended the US’s abysmal handling of Covid 19 by claiming that the disease is out of control in New Zealand. And National’s rhetoric continues to match what he is saying.
What does Judith do about Gerry?
Written By: - Date published: 9:32 am, August 19th, 2020 - 113 comments
Gerry Brownlee has chosen to not only repeat his conspiracy theories involving Ashley Bloomfield but also claim that the media is against National. Both claims have no factual foundation.
TheY aRe onlY aSKing qUestiOns
Written By: - Date published: 8:32 am, August 13th, 2020 - 112 comments
Yesterday National suggested a wide based and interesting conspiracy theory involving the Government and the Ministry of Health and all of the Health Boards suppressing news of community spread of Covid 19 for political advantage while at the same time complaining that the Government should be consulting with them on decisions.
IT doESN’t aDD up
Written By: - Date published: 7:49 am, August 10th, 2020 - 57 comments
For a few days now Gerry Brownlee has been peddling this dog whistle conspiracy campaign that the Government is hiding bad news about Covid and we should all be really concerned.
One News CB Poll July 2020
Written By: - Date published: 5:22 pm, July 30th, 2020 - 132 comments
The July One News Colmar Brunton poll is out at 6PM. Has Judith Collins worked the oracle? Or is it another of Gerry Brownlee’s rogue polls?
Stay tuned …
UPDATE: Labour in the 50’s, National 32
Roy Morgan Poll July 2020
Written By: - Date published: 11:17 am, July 15th, 2020 - 41 comments
The latest Roy Morgan Poll is further bad news for National and a stark warning for NZ First.
If Judith and Gerry are the answer it must have been a desperate question
Written By: - Date published: 7:55 am, July 15th, 2020 - 189 comments
In a great leap backwards Judith Collins and Gerry Brownlee are now leaders of the National Party.
Advising the country about Covid19 is unfair to National
Written By: - Date published: 9:28 am, June 16th, 2020 - 30 comments
National is complaining that a Government Covid19 media account liked Jacinda Ardern’s instagram page. And a National cheerleader wants all Covid 19 response advertising to stop.
Parliamentary TV – should we shut it?
Written By: - Date published: 8:44 am, September 30th, 2019 - 51 comments
Occasionally, this site puts up a video from parliament. Probably happens a few times per month at best. Not a whole lot of interest. It is put up for the public to observe parliament when required. While it’d be fun to make clips mocking National politicians – why should the public pay to provide feedstock for juveniles to do that? Either have and follow the simple rules similar to every other content provider or shut down parliamentary TV.
Nats must hate Auckland’s building consents boom
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, July 15th, 2019 - 59 comments
The rate at which the building consents have increased in Auckland, and the shift to a more useful mix, has been incredibly fast. You can understand why National after their decade of failure for housing and transport have been targeting the authors of that success. It highlights National’s economic incompetence.
Lies damn lies and tax analysis
Written By: - Date published: 1:21 pm, March 2nd, 2019 - 67 comments
National’s claim that a capital gains tax would reduce the value of an average worker’s Kiwisaver account by $64,000 over a 45 year working life seems to be as valid as Steven Joyce’s claim there was an $11.5 billion dollar hole in Labour’s draft budget.
Brownlee forced to withdraw ad with fake data
Written By: - Date published: 8:15 am, February 28th, 2019 - 32 comments
Gerry Brownlee has been obliged to withdraw a Facebook ad about tax bracket creep after it was discovered he had used grossly overinflated figures.
The leader has my full support
Written By: - Date published: 7:39 am, February 13th, 2019 - 44 comments
National’s message discipline on support for Leader Simon Bridges is strangely missing.
National has lots of questions
Written By: - Date published: 8:30 am, January 12th, 2019 - 38 comments
National asked 40,000 questions of Ministers last year. This seems excessive.
National’s varied response to the Thompson and Clark report
Written By: - Date published: 7:33 am, December 20th, 2018 - 26 comments
Simon Bridges and Gerry Brownlee have offered diametrically opposed versions of how to respond to the crisis presented by the report into Thompson and Clark’s activities.
Double down – protect parliament – ban Bridges for a month
Written By: - Date published: 10:30 pm, December 5th, 2018 - 104 comments
Simon Bridges appears to have deliberately maligned the position of the speaker of the house of representatives, and did it before he had any cause to do so. While he may think that it is in the public interest to do so, he isn’t special. He should expect what every other social activist knows will happen. You suffer the consequences..
The Meka leak
Written By: - Date published: 9:38 am, September 27th, 2018 - 229 comments
The Herald claims to have been leaked a draft copy of the report into Meka Whaitiri. And the indications are that it may have come from a National Party source.
Brownlee accused of bullying lawyer
Written By: - Date published: 7:44 am, September 13th, 2018 - 128 comments
Gerry Brownlee has been accused of ringing a young lawyer involved in a potential class action concerning steal used in the Christchurch rebuild and making her feel intimidated and harassed. Update: National has admitted “[s]o he just kind of unleashed, you know how Gerry is”.
Solitary man
Written By: - Date published: 10:45 am, June 14th, 2018 - 30 comments
Gerry Brownlee has been caught playing solitaire during Question Time in Parliament.
Doofus of the week – May 27, 2018
Written By: - Date published: 8:54 am, May 27th, 2018 - 28 comments
Lots of competition this week with Katie Hopkins preferring to be called a racist to being described as being on drugs, Judith Collins for fronting the most naff scandals in the last decade, and Simon Bridges for going on tour to strange places. But the real contest was between Paula Bennett and Gerry Brownlee …
National loses the plot in Parliament
Written By: - Date published: 4:40 pm, May 24th, 2018 - 91 comments
National’s show down with Trevor Mallard today did not go as well as they hoped.
Should MPs also be subject to sanctions when they don’t do their job?
Written By: - Date published: 11:55 am, May 8th, 2018 - 59 comments
National MPs have without notice refused to turn up to the House Committee of Parliament. Should they have their pay docked?
Doofus of the week – April 7, 2018
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, April 8th, 2018 - 17 comments
Another easy decision. Gerry Brownlee wins for overseeing a $210 million blow out in EWC’s liability for Christchurch earthquake re-repair work and for being upset when Megan Woods called him on it.
National’s strong economic management …
Written By: - Date published: 7:00 am, April 6th, 2018 - 47 comments
Between the crisis facing Middlemore Hospital’s buildings and the farce surrounding the cost of repairs of repairs of the Canterbury rebuild, National’s claim that it is a party of strong economic management looks at least misguided.
National announces new line up
Written By: - Date published: 3:47 pm, March 11th, 2018 - 121 comments
National’s new line up has been announced. And there are some heavy hints to a few MPs that their careers may be ending soon.
Who is next?
Written By: - Date published: 8:03 am, March 7th, 2018 - 65 comments
Steven Joyce’s resignation may be the first of many as National adjusts to the possibility of a lengthy stay in opposition.
What will 2018 bring for National?
Written By: - Date published: 8:00 am, January 4th, 2018 - 179 comments
What are National’s prospects this year? Will Bill English survive as leader? Will there be resignations and a clean out of the front bench? Stay tuned …
National on the Manus Island crisis
Written By: - Date published: 8:14 am, November 22nd, 2017 - 82 comments
Gerry Brownlee has surfaced on Radio New Zealand to criticise Labour’s handling of the Manus Island refugee issue. But he seems to have forgotten that the proposal offered by Labour is the proposal originally offered by National.
The days of National dick waving
Written By: - Date published: 8:06 am, November 7th, 2017 - 28 comments
The spin that National are running is that they are unhappy with the move to reduce the MPs in select committees. That their dick size opposition party is the largest make me see teenage boys being idiots. Because there is no substantive difference to parliament from when this was recommended and now.
- Building a norm against nuclear weapons
Back in 2017, the UN General Assembly approved the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, and New Zealand was one of the first countries to sign. Now, a 50th ratification is finally going to bring it into force: Campaigners have hailed a "new chapter" after a key step ...17 hours ago - Change wins in ChileThis time last year, Chile was in rebellion against its government. Protests against a train fare increase turned into protests against inequality, and then, when the right-wing government deployed the military to crush them, into protests against the government and the dictator-imposed constitution. And the protestors won: half the cabinet ...18 hours ago
- Speaker: Rewarding competence
If you were listening to New Zealand’s punditocracy in the days since Labour won the general election with a record-setting outright majority, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Labour had actually lost.Last time around pundits could barely deal with the fact that the National government had lost its majority, and ...23 hours ago - NZ Politics Daily – 27 October 2020
Today’s content Labour Party and new Labour Government Andrea Vance (Stuff): ‘Labour Connect’ the data analysis tool that boosted Jacinda Ardern’s campaign Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Time for Govt to take some risks (paywalled) Audrey Young (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on her big win and big plans (paywalled) Audrey Young: What Kelvin Davis wants for Māori from ...24 hours ago - Thirty Years Ago Today: Musings on the Fourth Labour Government
The New Zealand media and the New Zealand public are still chattering about what Jacinda Ardern will do with her brand-spanking-new single party majority Government. The consensus – apart from a few wishful-thinkers – is “probably not much.” This is the era of “incrementalism”, which during the Helen Clark ...1 day ago - Water on the Moon?
The space news this week is largely focused on an announcement from NASA regarding the discovery of water on the Moon. Not liquid water – the lunar surface is far too cold for that – but apparently ice deposits in the surface layers in near-polar regions, and perhaps deeper ...1 day ago - Yes Minister.
What it is like to be a new Minister Good morning Minister? Congratulations, you are minister for the very important department of state which I run as Chief Excutive. Have they fixed you up with all the accoutrements of office: the chauffeured limousine, your own car, state supplied accommodation ...1 day ago - The Debunking Handbook 2020: Debunk often and properly
This blog post is part 4 of a series of excerpts from The Debunking Handbook 2020 which can be downloaded here. The list of references is available here. Debunk often and properly If you cannot preempt, you must debunk. For debunking to be effective, it is important to provide detailed ...2 days ago - The Debunking Handbook 2020: ReferencesThis is the list of references for The Debunking Handbook 2020Lewandowsky, S., Cook, J., Ecker, U. K. H., Albarracín, D., Amazeen, M. A., Kendeou, P., Lombardi, D., Newman, E. J., Pennycook, G., Porter, E. Rand, D. G., Rapp, D. N., Reifler, J., Roozenbeek, J., Schmid, P., Seifert, C. M., Sinatra, ...2 days ago
- When the dictator wears capes.
Today Chileans voted overwhelmingly to elect a constitutional assembly and redraft the 1980 Constitution promulgated by the dictatorship of Agusto Pinochet. I regret that my old friend Bob Barros, whose death I wrote about a while ago, is not around to see this moment because he was the first person ...2 days ago - Everyone I don’t like is Hitler, or, how i got banned by Facebook
I do not really use Facebook anymore. I used to. For several years now, however, my drug of choice has been Twitter. It is equally pointless but is more agreeable better than Zuckerberg's monster is for me.I haven't deactivated my account because I still use FB as a means of ...2 days ago - Gal Gadot, The Orient and Identity Politics
by Gearóid Ó Loingsigh (14/10/2020) A row has recently erupted over the casting of the Israeli actress Gal Gadot as Cleopatra in an upcoming film. Part of the objections to her playing the role are based on the fact that she is not only Israeli, but a Zionist to boot, ...2 days ago - Getting Our Priorities Right
Much of the political debate over the past few months – as we have grappled with the coronavirus pandemic – has centred on the question of whether it is the interests of business or the health of the community that should take priority in policy terms. Much has been made ...2 days ago - 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #43Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... SkS Week in Review Story of the Week... Alarm as Arctic sea ice not yet freezing at latest date on record Delayed freeze in Laptev Sea could have ...2 days ago
- 2020 – Post mortem or Prologue?
. . A narcissistic, third-rate, Bond-villain code-named “Trump” takes control of the United States; a global pandemic brings human civilisation to a near stand-still; Whakaari/White Island erupts creating a hellish tragedy; Level 4 and 3 Lockdowns result in deserted streets straight out of The Quiet Earth; a new “Fortress ...2 days ago - Media Link: Some Bolivian and NZ post-election analysis on “A View from Afar.”This last week’s podcast featuring Selwyn Manning and I focused on post-election analysis in two small states, one land locked and the other surrounded by water. Check it out here. ...3 days ago
- Analysis of an Election – Aaaarghghgh! What happened????
With a week or so gone since the catastrophic election result for the National Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, MyThinks have set the team to work to come up with their hot takes on what has caused the previous all powerful party of government to collapse under the weight of ...3 days ago - A response to Judith ButlerFeminist Ani O’Brien takes a critical look at Judith Butler and the Kim Hill interview (17/10/20): It has been a while since I have done a bit-by-bit response piece, but this weekend Radio New Zealand journalist Kim Hill interviewed Professor Judith Butler on the conflict between trans activists and “TERFs” and I have ...3 days ago
- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #43A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Oct 18, 2020 through Sat, Oct 24, 2020 Editor's Choice A second Trump term would mean severe and irreversible changes in the climate No joke: It would be disastrous on the ...3 days ago
- National’s electoral slaughter
4 days ago - The Ideal and the Reality for a New MP
Being an MP is not quite what you think. Hello Mr Orange Man, I’ve really depended on you during the election over the last few weeks. Thankyou for helping me to get elected to parliament. So what are you doing here, meeting me in parliament, now I have ...5 days ago - COVID-19: backing our front rowNew Zealand has been called out as an outstanding player in managing COVID-19. We’ve done well,[1] but we’re far from perfect. We could do a lot better at backing our front row. Epidemiologists advise nations not to play “wait and see”. If By the time they do see, it’s all ...5 days ago
- Fleeing to the Dawn – accepted
Good bit of news on the short story front: my 1700 word fantasy piece, Fleeing to the Dawn, has been accepted for the Autumn 2020 edition of Shorts Magazine: http://shortsmagazine.com/ This one was a case of a previously unsuccessful story being dusted off and polished up. It is ...5 days ago - The Debunking Handbook 2020: The elusive backfire effectsThis blog post is part 3 of a series of excerpts from The Debunking Handbook 2020 which can be downloaded here. The list of references is available here. The elusive backfire effects Ten years ago, scholars and practitioners were concerned that corrections may “backfire”; that is, ironically strengthen misconceptions rather ...5 days ago
- Prosecute ICEWe knew that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement was a moral void: they run concentration camps, and forcibly separate children from their parents. And now they're outright torturing people: US immigration officers allegedly tortured Cameroonian asylum seekers to force them to sign their own deportation orders, in what lawyers ...5 days ago
- Fly on the wall of the first National caucus since electionOver the past several months, the team at MyThinks have been involved in a vast insect training programme. We have been working to teach our six-legged friends to become the finest of political reporters. This week we sent our deputy political diptera into the National Party caucus room for their ...5 days ago
- The Twilight Of Boomer Power.
5 days ago - NZ Politics Daily – 23 October 2020Today’s content Labour government Peter Dunne (Newsroom): At the highwater mark with little wriggle room RNZ: Caucus: Explaining The Red Tide: Kiwis hug Jacinda back as Labour breaks records Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): It’s Time For Some “Earnest Struggle” Chris Trotter: “Change That Sticks.” Chris Trotter (Daily Blog): The Twilight Of Boomer Power Brent Edwards ...5 days ago
- “Change That Sticks.”Implementing Change With Us - Not Imposing It On Us: Jacinda Ardern, like Mickey Savage before her, understands what her more revolutionary critics do not: that the only sort of socialism that endures is democratic socialism – socialism by popular demand and with popular consent.AFTER THE BIGGEST WIN in nearly ...5 days ago
- Science at the movies: The new comet impact filmDisaster movies forever capture the public attention… but did you ever stop to think that the word disaster actually means bad star? That is, ‘dis’ implies a pejorative (as in disease, or disgust, or disrespect), while ‘aster’ comes from the Latin astrum, similarly the Greek astron. Asteroids are called that ...6 days ago
- The Adventures of Annalax: Volume XI
Yes, dinosaurs. Annalax would think of them as giant horned lizards. They were also terrified of us, what with Magni still being covered in spider goo, and hence smelling like a Leng Spider. The ... 6 days ago - PrioritiesMuch of the political debate over the past few months – as we have grappled with the coronavirus pandemic – has centred on the question of whether it is the interests of business or the health of the community that should take priority in policy terms. Much has been made ...6 days ago
- Farmers earning their reputation againNew Zealand farmers routinely complain about the public viewing them as environmental vandals. At the same time, they're opposing basic environmental regulation: Federated Farmers has asked that a wide-ranging plan change setting water use rules for South Canterbury remove all references to the protection of “indigenous fish”. [...] ...6 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily – 22 October 2020Labour-Greens talks, Labour govt Henry Cooke (Stuff): There is no evidence National voters backed Labour to keep the Greens out Audrey Young (Herald): Labour holds all the cards as Ardern’s talks with Greens get underway RNZ: Greens better off independent – Former Green MP Catherine Delahunty Heather du Plessis-Allan (Newstalk ZB): Greens would be ...6 days ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Stardust across the Middle East: How Arab media reported on NZ’s electionNews is not in short supply in the Middle East, and on Saturday, Arab media remained focused heavily on the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. Nevertheless, the New Zealand election – and especially Jacinda Ardern’s personal success – received significant attention from Arabic-language TV news channels, newspapers and ...6 days ago
- Geoffrey Miller: Stardust across the Middle East – how Arab media covered the New Zealand electionNews is not in short supply in the Middle East, and at the weekend, Arabic-language media remained firmly focused on the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. Nevertheless, the New Zealand election – and above all Jacinda Ardern’s personal success – still received significant attention from Arabic-language TV news ...6 days ago
- It's Time For Some “Earnest Struggle”.6 days ago
- Party Like It’s 1936: Songs for the Philologists
It’s the most obscure Tolkien book of all… so obscure that only fourteen copies exist: Songs for the Philologists, a 1936 collection of thirty humorous verses, by Tolkien (who wrote thirteen), E.V. Gordon, and ... 6 days ago - Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – National’s catastrophic collapse and fraught rebuildThe National Party’s defeat has been so comprehensive that few in the party seem optimistic they will recover anytime soon. Falling from 47% in 2017 to just 27% (which might drop as low as 25% once special votes are counted), is one of the most severe collapses in New Zealand’s ...6 days ago
- Skeptical Science New Research for Week #42, 2020Dust-up at the Denial Corral, in "journal time" Way back in 2017 the Institute of Physics publication Environmental Research Letters (ERL) published a featured article, Assessing ExxonMobil's climate change communications (1977–2014), by Supran & Oreskes. The article reverberated widely as it exposed a documented a pattern of behavior arguably described as perfidious. The authors ...7 days ago
- Now’s the time – expand ACC
Having ruled out Capital Gains Tax and Wealth Tax, the incoming Labour government must be looking for some significant progressive policies that they haven’t already ruled out. Expanding the ACC scheme fits that brief, and the Green Party have conveniently already proposed doing so. But, how to fund it? The accident/illness ...7 days ago - Managing to the targetNew Zealand's health system is chronicly underfunded, and so almost all DHBs run deficits. Last month, just before he bailed out Canterbury DHB, Health Minister Chris Hipkins was repeating the mantra that DHBs must live within their means and "have a credible plan to return to financial sustainability". But yesterday, ...7 days ago
- Solarise all the things!If we are to avoid dangerous levels of climate change, we need to decarbonise the economy and shift our energy supply completely to renewables. The good news is that the International Energy Agency thinks that that is going to happen. The reason? Interest rates have dropped. And this means that ...7 days ago
- New Zealand weighs up a nation-sized batteryIan Mason and Robert McLachlan Climate change was a small but perceptible part of the recent election. On climate change, Labour pointed proudly to their record of legislating for net zero emissions by 2050 (nicknamed the ‘Zero Carbon Act’), establishing a Climate Change Commission to set carbon budgets and advise ...7 days ago
- WHO reform: a call for an early-warning protocol for infectious diseasesPeter Gluckman and Alexander Gillespie, University of Waikato The World Health Organization (WHO) has come in for its share of criticism for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. While some faults are the responsibility of the WHO, others were caused by member states, which did not always act as quickly ...7 days ago
- NZ Politics Daily – 21 October 2020Today’s content Election Jack Vowles (The Conversation): The 2020 NZ election saw record vote volatility — what does that mean for the next Labour government? Jason Walls and Chris Knox (Herald): 20 fascinating facts about the 2020 election you might have missed Stuff: Labour Day: A vote-by-vote analysis of New Zealand’s historic shift ...7 days ago
- Do Landslides Change the Landscape in the Long Run?
It was easy for election night commentators to use the ‘landslide’ trope to describe Labour’s winning of the 2020 election. But the historical record suggests that such landslides may not last long. In 1935, the First (Savage-Fraser) Labour Government won 53 seats in a parliament of 80; National ...1 week ago - The Debunking Handbook 2020: Prevent misinformation from sticking if you canThis blog post is part 2 of a series of excerpts from The Debunking Handbook 2020 which can be downloaded here. The list of references is available here. Prevent misinformation from sticking if you can Because misinformation is sticky, it’s best preempted. This can be achieved by explaining misleading or ...1 week ago
- Graeme Edgeler: Mandates are not mandatory, but they are also not meaninglessThere’s a lot of talk about what the Labour Government’s new mandate is. For a discussion of exactly what that might mean, Graeme Edgeler explores the murky logic of what they can and can’t do, pointing out that ultimately voters decide if this mandate was properly used in three years. ...1 week ago
- Hyping it up over fluoridation
In my time as a scientific researcher, honest scientists used to condemn colleagues who over-hyped their science. To our mind there should have been a special place in hell for scientists who misrepresented their ... 1 week ago - Don’t fall for the Covid contrariansAs life in Aotearoa gets back to some kind of normal after our latest Covid-19 outbreak, cases in the northern hemisphere are on the rise again and that puts us all at risk. Because no one is safe until we are all safe. This is a tricky virus. We now ...1 week ago
- Liam Hehir: Online abuse and the standard you walk byThere’s a lot of nastiness in the online public sphere, much of it tribal, petty and personal. Political commentator and Twitter enthusiast Liam Hehir has seen too much of it, and explains why he’s going to actively stand up against it. I did a radio interview a little while ...1 week ago
- Tanzania: elections, neoliberalism and economic diplomacyPolitics in New Zealand is the main focus of Redline, along with supporting liberation movements and anti-imperialist struggles. We have had little material from the African continent, so are pleased to print this submission from a Tanzanian writer on their pending elections. Tanzania will be going to the polls on ...1 week ago
- Governing For All Of Us.1 week ago
- NZ Politics Daily – 20 October 2020Today’s content Coalition negotiations, shape of government Gordon Campbell: On why the Greens shouldn’t join the government Andrew Geddis (Pundit): What Sort Of Relationship Might Labour And The Greens Agree On? Audrey Young (Herald): Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern holds preparatory talks with Greens but coalition looking unlikely Thomas Coughlan (Stuff): Jacinda Ardern tight-lipped after ...1 week ago
- What sort of relationship might Labour and the Greens agree on?
Even without knowing the final election result (because, don’t forget there’s about 500,000 special votes still to count and they very likely will change Saturday’s results), we can say two things for certain about the next government. Jacinda Ardern will be its Prime Minister. And Labour will be at its core. But ...1 week ago - Bryce Edwards: Political Roundup – Leftwing euphoria meets realityThe political left has been euphoric since Saturday’s night historic landslide victory for Labour. But political commentators from across the spectrum are united in warning that the new Government isn’t about to be transformative. Instead, we will see more of a status quo administration grappling with a crisis, with very ...1 week ago
- Yes, a mandate for sure… but issues for NZ will be far, far more difficult now
With the NZ General Election and Referendums over for 2020, Jacinda Ardern is to form a Government over the next few weeks, “there are some areas we do want to crack on with, that we will need to expedite”, and talks will begin to form around what the voters ...1 week ago - Labour Party landslide – 2020 Election in reviewJacinda Ardern - Prime Minister of New ZealandThe 2020 General Election has been one of the most interesting in New Zealand’s political history. Not only did we have voters provide the Labour Party with a stratospheric 49.1% mandate to govern, the results also delivered National with a crushing 26.8% defeat ...1 week ago
- Be careful what you wish for: Labour's difficult triumph
Labour’s overwhelming victory at the election has been greeted with rousing cheers on the left of New Zealand politics and the start of transformational demands. It’s a multi-generational win for Labour, out-polling the Kirk, Lange and Clark victories. You have to go back to 1938 for a bigger percentage (55.8%) ...1 week ago - A Skeptical Science member's path to an experiment on carbon sequestrationDuring what now seems like another era entirely- back in February of this long year- Skeptical Science regular RedBaron (aka Scott Strough) mentioned in a discussion thread here that he'd been working on an idea for no-till cultivation of vegetables, was seeking to quantify what appeared to be promising results. Scott ...1 week ago
- Jacinda Will Keep Us Moving – To The Same Place.Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes? Not Likely: Though few New Zealanders would express it in such a fashion: Jacinda’s and Labour’s general handling of the Covid-19 crisis proved both to be highly effective defenders of the capitalist status quo. She, and they, kept the lights on. And that, in the absence of an alternative ...1 week ago
- The Greens and LabourWith an absolute majority, Labour can govern in its own right, and doesn't need partners. But while unnecessary, they're a nice-to-have, both as backup and for PR reasons. Ardern has talked about "consensus", and there are obvious benefits for her of having government policy endorsed by as many parties as ...1 week ago
- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #42Story of the Week... Toon of the Week... Coming Soon on SkS... Climate Feedback Claim Review... SkS Week in Review... Poster of the Week... Story of the Week... Earth has warmest September on record, and 2020 may clinch hottest year Record warmth in Europe and Asia overwhelms a ...1 week ago
- Josh Van Veen: The Vindication of Winston PetersAn egalitarian spirit is currently being revived in New Zealand, and we should thank Winston Peters for keeping alive that spirit. Josh Van Veen, who once worked with the NZ First leader, pays his tribute. With New Zealand First receiving less than 3% of the vote, critics are happily ...1 week ago
- The Hunt for Red October: Musings on Taieri
So New Zealand has had its general election. Jacinda Ardern has managed a single-party majority government, New Zealand’s first in twenty-six years, and its first since the adoption of proportional representation. I intend to do a comment on that further down the line – my feelings on the Sunday ...1 week ago - Lessons from the ElectionThis year’s general election has broken new ground – and not just in terms of its outcome, the seats won and votes cast, and – in an MMP environment – the margin of victory. It also suggests that something quite fundamental has changed in New Zealand politics. The outcome is ...1 week ago
- The unexpected resultThe people have spoken, and its a Labour majority government. This wasn't meant to happen under MMP, and in fact its exactly what the system was designed to prevent: no majority governments, no elected dictatorships, unless we really, really want it (which at the time seemed unlikely on 40 years ...1 week ago
- Schadenfreude is a dish best served blueWhat started out as the largest party in parliament has ended election night scratching the back door of the house of irrelevance. ...1 week ago
- 2020 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #42A chronological listing of news articles linked to on the Skeptical Science Facebook Page during the past week: Sun, Oct 11, 2020 through Sat, Oct 17, 2020 Editor's Choice A FIELD GUIDE TOTHE ELECTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE The presidential election is just weeks away, and climate change has broken ...1 week ago
- Legal Beagle: Election '20: The Special VotesThe 2020 General Election has a preliminary result. For reasons I am unable to really explain, we will not have even a preliminary result for the end of life choice and cannabis legalisation referendums for some weeks (I dropped the ball on that one when the referendum legislation was before ...1 week ago
- National rejects tonight’s result as a ‘rogue poll’
National are dismissing tonight’s election result as an “obvious outlier” Half an hour into counting, National Party leader Judith Collins and deputy leader Gerry Brownlee are already dismissing tonight’s election result as a “rogue poll”, saying it’s an incomplete survey with shoddy methodology. Brownlee called an emergency media stand-up just ...2 weeks ago - Jacinda Ardern ran down four National supporters with her car this morning but due to electoral law ...Dr. Ashley Bloomfield reported at today’s 1pm health briefing that the Coronavirus turns out not to exist, but that information was also withheld on the same grounds. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern began her election morning by ruthlessly driving her car into a family of National supporters just blocks from her ...2 weeks ago
- Six weird animals that have nothing to do with the electionGet a load of these things! Some of these animals are just crazy. You wouldn’t want a single one of these animals anywhere near your kids. It could ruin them for life. Last thing you’d want is your kid growing up around any of these, and thinking that’s what animals ...2 weeks ago
- 1pm Covid Health Update for 17th October, 2020What follows is today’s 1pm health update from the Ministry of Health There are 12 new cases of Covid-19 today, six in managed isolation, three escaped, and three are wealthy foreigners so it’s fine. One of these cases is a man in his 50s who visited Auckland sex club Fisting ...2 weeks ago
- WATCH LIVE: Election Night 2020
...1 week ago - Election Night Speech – Marama Davidson
Kia ora tātou kātoa. Ngā mihi maioha ki a koutou Te Roopu Kakariki, ngā kaitautoko, e aroha ana I te kaupapa mo te taiao me te mokopuna. No reira tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa. I am so proud to be standing here tonight, at the end of an ...2 weeks ago - Election Night Speech – James ShawOn Election Night three years ago I stood up in front of you to say, “We are still here!” Well, tonight, not only are we still here, we are the first support party in MMP history to have started and finished a term in government above the 5% threshold. We ...2 weeks ago
- Greens only party with plan to meet scale of climate challengeA new report showing that the effects of climate change are already being felt in Aotearoa New Zealand shows the importance of the Green Party pushing for urgent action in the next Government. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party commits to stronger urban tree protection and no new mines on public conservation landThe Green Party is the only party in Parliament which is explicitly committing to protecting public conservation land and the indigenous plants and wildlife which live there, from destructive mining. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens close campaign with COVID-19 recovery pitchThe Green Party says a Green-Labour partnership next term is the only way to ensure that we build back better than before, whilst addressing the other crises of biodiversity, climate change and poverty. ...2 weeks ago
- Vote still undecided? Watch this.As of today, over 1.4 million New Zealanders have already cast their votes in this year’s election. While this shows that a huge number of people have already made up their minds about who they want to lead our country, there are many who are still undecided. ...2 weeks ago
- Labour's 2020 Election ManifestoThe Labour Party understands how important continuity, stability and clarity are for New Zealanders in these uncertain times. That’s why, in our 2020 Election Manifesto, we’re setting out how we will continue to invest in people, jobs, small businesses, infrastructure, and global trade, to set New Zealand up for the ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party releases tourism policyToday the Green Party’s conservation spokesperson Eugenie Sage went kayaking on Akaroa Harbour to highlight the greater protection achieved for Hector’s and Maui dolphins this term and the Greens’ election commitment to supporting sustainable tourism. ...2 weeks ago
- National’s false ‘wealth tax’ claims: The “last roll of the misinformation dice”“Collins has warned voters to expect a wealth tax. This is despite the fact Labour has ruled this out a number of times.” – Jason Walls, NZ Herald. “The Labour Party has ruled out implementing the Green Party's wealth tax.” – Henry Cooke, Stuff. “Labour has time and time again ...2 weeks ago
- Week that was: Counting down to Election DayIt’s getting incredibly close to Election Day now – and over a million people have already cast their vote! ...2 weeks ago
- Jacinda Ardern's Wellington Rally SpeechJacinda Ardern delivers a rally speech at Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre. ...2 weeks ago
- Grant Robertson's Wellington Rally SpeechGrant Robertson delivers a rally speech at Wellington's Michael Fowler Centre. ...2 weeks ago
- Building a vibrant creative sector The Green Party will push for better conditions, more certainty, and greater opportunities for New Zealand’s artists and creatives as part of the next Government, Co-leader of the Green Party, James Shaw said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Greens promise continued action to reduce mental health waiting timesThe Green Party is committed to reduce the waiting times people in mental distress have to put up with before they receive attention and get treatment. ...3 weeks ago
- Early voting is openDid you know that early voting is open? That means you can go out and cast your vote right now - whether you've already enrolled or not. Almost 600,000 Kiwis have already voted, and you can join them! ...3 weeks ago
- Greens would go further and faster for kauri protectionThe Green Party says Labour’s commitment to protecting kauri is a good start, but the Greens would go further and faster to keep our kauri standing. ...3 weeks ago
- Greens would bring urban food farms to Auckland CityThe Green Party will invest funding in community agriculture and urban food gardens in places like Auckland city centre. ...3 weeks ago
- Tokelau Language Week reminds us to stay united and strong
Staying strong in the face of challenges and being true to our heritage and languages are key to preserving our cultural identity and wellbeing, is the focus of the 2020 Tokelau Language Week. Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio, says this year’s theme, ‘Apoapo tau foe, i nā tāfea ...5 days ago - NZ announces a third P-3 deployment in support of UN sanctionsThe Government has deployed a Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3K2 Orion (P-3) maritime patrol aircraft to support the implementation of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea, announced Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters and Minister of Defence Ron Mark. “New Zealand has long supported ...1 week ago
- Pacific trade and development agreement a realityPacific regional trade and development agreement PACER Plus will enter into force in 60 days now that the required eight countries have ratified it. Trade and Export Growth Minister David Parker welcomed the announcement that the Cook Islands is the eighth nation to ratify this landmark agreement. “The agreement represents ...2 weeks ago
- Securing a pipeline of teachersThe Government is changing its approach to teacher recruitment as COVID-19 travel restrictions continue, by boosting a range of initiatives to get more Kiwis into teaching. “When we came into Government, we were faced with a teacher supply crisis,” Education Minister Chris Hipkins said. “Over the past three years, we ...2 weeks ago
- Border exceptions for a small number of international students with visasThe Government has established a new category that will allow 250 international PhD and postgraduate students to enter New Zealand and continue their studies, in the latest set of border exceptions. “The health, safety and wellbeing of people in New Zealand remains the Government’s top priority. Tight border restrictions remain ...2 weeks ago
- First COVID-19 vaccine purchase agreement signedThe Government has signed an agreement to purchase 1.5 million COVID-19 vaccines – enough for 750,000 people – from Pfizer and BioNTech, subject to the vaccine successfully completing all clinical trials and passing regulatory approvals in New Zealand, say Research, Science and Innovation Minister Megan Woods and Health Minister Chris Hipkins. ...2 weeks ago
- International statement – End-to-end encryption and public safetyWe, the undersigned, support strong encryption, which plays a crucial role in protecting personal data, privacy, intellectual property, trade secrets and cyber security. It also serves a vital purpose in repressive states to protect journalists, human rights defenders and other vulnerable people, as stated in the 2017 resolution of the ...2 weeks ago
- Ministry of Defence Biodefence Assessment releasedThe Ministry of Defence has today released a Defence Assessment examining Defence’s role across the spectrum of biological hazards and threats facing New Zealand. Biodefence: Preparing for a New Era of Biological Hazards and Threats looks at how the NZDF supports other agencies’ biodefence activities, and considers the context of ...2 weeks ago
- New Approaches to Economic Challenges: Confronting Planetary Emergencies: OECD 9 October 2020New Approaches to Economic Challenges: Confronting Planetary Emergencies: OECD 9 October 2020 Hon David Parker’s response following Thomas Piketty and Esther Duflo. Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, wherever in the world you might be. I first acknowledge the excellent thought provoking speeches of Thomas Piketty and Esther ...3 weeks ago
- Kaipara Moana restoration takes next stepA Memorandum of Understanding has been signed today at Waihāua Marae between the Crown, local iwi and councils to protect, restore and enhance the mauri of Kaipara Moana in Northland. Environment Minister David Parker signed the document on behalf of the Crown along with representatives from Ngā Maunga Whakahī, Ngāti ...3 weeks ago
- New Zealand and Uruguay unite on reducing livestock production emissionsAgriculture Minister Damien O’Connor and Uruguayan Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries Carlos María Uriarte have welcomed the launch of a three-year project that will underpin sustainable livestock production in Uruguay, Argentina, and Costa Rica. The project called ‘Innovation for pasture management’ is led by Uruguay’s National Institute of Agricultural ...3 weeks ago
- 3100 jobs created through marae upgradesHundreds of marae throughout the country will be upgraded through investments from the Provincial Growth Fund’s refocused post COVID-19 funding to create jobs and put money into the pockets of local tradespeople and businesses, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Māori Development Minister Nanaia Mahuta have announced. “A total ...3 weeks ago
- Health volunteers recognised in annual awardsHealth Minister Chris Hipkins has announced 9 teams and 14 individuals are the recipients of this year’s Minister of Health Volunteer Awards. “The health volunteer awards celebrate and recognise the thousands of dedicated health sector volunteers who give many hours of their time to help other New Zealanders,” Mr Hipkins ...3 weeks ago
- Community COVID-19 Fund supports Pacific recoveryThe Minister for Pacific Peoples, Aupito William Sio says a total of 264 groups and individuals have successfully applied for the Pacific Aotearoa Community COVID-19 Recovery Fund, that will support Pacific communities drive their own COVID-19 recovery strategies, initiatives, and actions. “I am keen to see this Fund support Pacific ...3 weeks ago
- Community benefits from Māori apprenticeshipsUp to 50 Māori apprentices in Wellington will receive paid training to build houses for their local communities, thanks to a $2.75 million investment from the Māori Trades and Training Fund, announced Employment Minister Willie Jackson today. “This funding will enable Ngāti Toa Rangatira Incorporated to provide its Ngā Kaimahi ...3 weeks ago
- Training fund supports Māori jobseekersRapidly growing sectors will benefit from a $990,000 Māori Trades and Training Fund investment which will see Wellington jobseekers supported into work, announced Employment Minister Willie Jackson today. “This funding will enable Sapphire Consultants Ltd. to help up to 45 Māori jobseekers into paid training initiatives over two years through ...3 weeks ago
- Why this Queensland election is different — states are back at the forefront of political attentio...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Graeme Orr, Professor of Law, The University of Queensland On October 31, Queensland will become Australia’s first state to go to the polls during the pandemic. Normally, state elections pass amiably. They matter to the MPs, ministers and senior public servants concerned. ...15 mins ago - New polling shows 79% of Aussies care about climate change. So why doesn’t the government listen?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rebecca Colvin, Lecturer, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University We will remember 2020 as a year of crisis. COVID-19 hit Australia just as we were beginning to make sense of the horror bushfires and smoke of last summer, a sinister ...16 mins ago
- Industry cadetships: a good but small step to tap the talents of women in STEMSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Pi-Shen Seet, Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Edith Cowan University An overarching criticism of the recent federal budget is that it overlooked the workers hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, namely women. However, the budget includes one promising, albeit small, initiative that ...16 mins ago
- Will I or won’t I? Scientists still haven’t figured out free will, but they’re having fun tryi...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stefan Bode, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Decision Neuroscience Laboratory, University of Melbourne Social media algorithms, artificial intelligence, and our own genetics are among the factors influencing us beyond our awareness. This raises an ancient question: do we have control over our own lives? ...30 mins ago
- Cervical, breast, heart, bowel: here’s what women should be getting screened regularlySource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Doust, Clinical Professorial Research Fellow, The University of Queensland Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, many have felt anxious about going to the GP and other health facilities, believing these places have had a greater risk of transmission. A lot of us have ...31 mins ago
- Blink and you’ll miss it: what the budget did for working mumsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Miranda Stewart, Professor, University of Melbourne Working mothers get something in the budget, but not much, and not for long. Before the budget the second earner in a couple with young children (usually the mother) lost almost all of the income she ...31 mins ago
- Total Recall at 30: why this brutal action film remains a classicSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ari Mattes, Lecturer in Communications and Media, University of Notre Dame Australia People often roll their eyes when they hear about a major Hollywood studio re-releasing a film from its back catalogue to cinemas. Director’s cuts, “reduxes” and remastered prints can seem ...31 mins ago
- The Bulletin: Should the government back Chris Liddell for OECD?
Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Should the government back Chris Liddell for OECD, testing and app scan numbers jump over long weekend, and an update on talks between Labour and Greens.The government’s decision on whether to back New Zealander Chris Liddell for the top job ...1 hour ago - Recognising Palestine Should Be The First Step For Our New Minister Of Foreign Affairs
Recognising Palestine should be the first policy announcement of our new Foreign Minister after they are announced next week. Successive New Zealand governments have claimed to take an “even-handed” approach to the Middle East but this is untrue. ...1 hour ago - Business & Investing: Sept trade surplus at six-year high
New Zealand records its second best trade result in 25 years, plus the big bid for Coca Cola here and in Australia. ...2 hours ago - The rookie ACT MPs who might not be what you expect
ACT scored big on election night but it was a "bittersweet" victory - the party is still on the wrong side of power. So what will its nine new MPs do for the next three years? ...2 hours ago - National MPs need to avoid their own spin
Publicly, the National Party claims it did all that it could in the election campaign and is silent about the leader in the room. But it's time to put away the blue-tinted spectacles, writes Tim Murphy ...3 hours ago - Is Tokelauan facing extinction?
What happens when a language outlives its homeland, when its speakers live here, in New Zealand? John Middleton on the challenge for Tokelauan. It is Tokelau Language Week and although a brief glance at the statistics paints a dire picture for its survival, the real picture for Tokelauan is much ...3 hours ago - What next for the US Supreme Court
The US Supreme Court now has a clear conservative majority, but predicting how individual justices might decide cases can be a fool's game, writes Hayden Thorne Donald Trump’s nominee to fill Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the United States Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett has been confirmed by the US Senate ...3 hours ago - NZ research sheds light on unexplained deaths
NZ-led research is guiding families through the tragedy of sudden unexplained death, addressing questions like: would a potential diagnosis of a genetic cardiac condition threaten employment prospects or eligibility for health insurance? A 25-year-old woman with a young infant collapses after an unexpected visitor rings the doorbell late one evening. Despite the ...3 hours ago - Catherine Chidgey by Aimee Cronin & Jane Ussher
We continue our extraordinary series of portraits of New Zealand authors as Aimee Cronin (words) and Jane Ussher (pictures) profile novelist Catherine Chidgey From Catherine Chidgey’s doorstep you can see right into the colourful room of her young daughter Alice, pictures and photos all over the walls. Look out to ...3 hours ago - The price of kindness
One promising area of policy came to a shuddering halt in the first term of the Labour government. Bob Kerridge argues now is the time to put animal rights and welfare back in the mix Three years ago, the Labour Party regained the Government benches and signalled a number of social ...3 hours ago - A tale of two Green ministers
Green Party ministerial picks might be a good yardstick for the next Government’s ambition. David Williams reports Opinion: A downpour of predictions has spurted from political pundits on possible Labour-Greens cooperation in the next Government. Despite Labour being able to rule alone, we’re told there have been “fruitful discussions”. Former United ...3 hours ago - Track and field women go hammer and tongs for Tokyo
Sarah Cowley Ross catches up with three Olympic track and field hopefuls - Camille Buscomb, lifted up by a flock of Kiwi runners, and hammer throwers Julia Ratcliffe and Lauren Bruce, pushing each other to reach Tokyo. It’s often a lonesome journey for an individual athlete. Gruelling solo training sessions ...3 hours ago - The infrastructure Aotearoa has got right so far is digital
With the Covid-19 economic rebuild on everyone’s minds, Aotearoa should double down on its world-class digital infrastructure and focus even more on digital adoption to thrive, writes Vodafone NZ CEO Jason Paris Historically, governments have tended to focus most of their collective investment on 20th Century physical infrastructure. Yet we have digital ...3 hours ago - Arrival of parliament’s new migrant MPs sparks rejoicing, and backlashWhile our newest migrant MPs are inspiring people across the world, their first week in parliament has not passed without controversy here in New Zealand. Not since the early 1900s, when recent immigrants flooded the colonial parliament’s benches, has the Beehive seen such an influx of foreign-born MPs – albeit ...3 hours ago
- Me hoki whenua mai? Putting tāngata back on the whenuaTo mark the anniversary of the signing of He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga, the Declaration of Independence, on this day in 1835, race relations commissioner Meng Foon has one message: land back.Whenua is fundamental to Māori identity and whakapapa. Whenua and housing are essential for wellbeing. Yet despite Māori resilience, ...3 hours ago
- Crowded house – the newbie ACT MPs
Don't expect a bunch of neo-liberal automatons in the new intake of ACT MPs, says Newsroom Pro's Jonathan Milne. 2020’s extraordinary election sees 40 new MPs in Parliament. Labour alone has 22 fresh faces but in terms of rookie caucuses, ACT beats them all. David Seymour – the youngest party leader, ...3 hours ago - Just Fix the F**king Housing Problem. Please!
It is far, far, past time for politicians to mandate the changes that will help Kiwis live in secure, affordable homes. Just do it, pleads Jess Berentson-Shaw. ...3 hours ago - New MP Ibrahim Omer’s election highlights the challenges refugees from Africa face in New ZealandSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Samuel Judah Seomeng, Postgraduate student, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington The election of Labour candidate Ibrahim Omer on October 17 makes him New Zealand’s first African MP and one of only two former refugees to sit in the New ...10 hours ago
- Facebook is tilting the political playing field more than ever, and it’s no accidentSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Brand, Adjunct A/Prof of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Monash University As the US presidential election polling day draws close, it’s worth recapping what we know about how Facebook has been used to influence election results. The platform is optimised for ...14 hours ago
- Momentum vs underdog status: this time the advantage is with Joe BidenSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lionel Page, Professor in Economics, University of Technology Sydney Polls highly favour Joe Biden to win the US presidential election. These polls are not just abstract information. By telling prospective voters who is the most likely to win, can they influence the ...14 hours ago
- Labour and Greens meeting: 'There's a lot to work through'Green Party co-leaders have emerged from their second round of talks with Labour in hopes of taking a deal to their membership by the end of the week. ...14 hours ago
- Who will Muslim Americans vote for in the US elections?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Mehmet Ozalp, Associate Professor in Islamic Studies, Director of The Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation and Executive Member of Public and Contextual Theology, Charles Sturt University Muslims are a small minority in the United States, but they may have a significant ...15 hours ago
- Evening Report LIVE: Tech Now with Sarah Putt and Selwyn Manning – Consumer Rights + Google in DoJ...Hello I’m Selwyn Manning and you are watching Tech Now. Tonight, we are joined by technology commentator Sarah Putt to discuss some of the week’s big tech issues, including: A new Telecommunications Commissioner started in June. And the commissioner has a big focus on telco consumer rights. We’ll talk ...15 hours ago
- Could a test really detect if someone is a COVID-19 ‘superspreader’?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lara Herrero, Research Leader in Virology and Infectious Disease, Griffith University Last week we heard Queensland-based biotech company Microbio had developed a test that could, according to media reports, tell whether someone is a COVID-19 superspreader. While this may sound like an ...15 hours ago
- Climate explained: did atomic bomb tests damage our upper atmosphere?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Brett Carter, Senior lecturer, RMIT University CC BY-ND Climate Explained is a collaboration between The Conversation, Stuff and the New Zealand Science Media Centre to answer your questions about climate change. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, ...15 hours ago
- Review: Louise Milligan’s Witness is a devastating critique of the criminal trial processSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ben Mathews, Professor, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology Book review: Witness, by Louise Milligan (Hachette). Louise Milligan’s new book, Witness, is an excoriating critique of the failures of the criminal justice system in sexual assault trials. Informed by Milligan’s two ...16 hours ago
- NZPP leaders decide the best way to make progress politically is to step back from Advance NZ
Browsing through items of political news published on Labour Day, we came across a statement from the New Zealand Public Party (NZPP) and Reset New Zealand which declared they were retreating from Jami-Lee Ross’s Advance New Zealand party. Not a full retreat, necessarily. Rather, they “ … have moved ...16 hours ago - Activists Picket FarmRight, Demand End To Use Of Western Sahara Blood PhosphateProtesters today picketed the FarmRight head office in Ōtautahi Christchurch to call on FarmRight to cease using phosphate fertiliser illegally sourced from Western Sahara on the farms it manages. The protest was in solidarity with the Polisario ...16 hours ago
- Covid-19 has changed New Zealand forever. The experts explain how: part twoSome of the smartest people in the country examine the effects of the pandemic on Aotearoa’s future in 400 words or fewer. Read part one here. Beyond the horrific global death toll and the economic shutdowns, there is hope that Covid-19 will allow us to build a better society in the ...16 hours ago
- Super-charged: Australia’s biggest renewables project will change the energy gameSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Mathews, Professor Emeritus, Macquarie Business School, Macquarie University Australia doesn’t yet export renewable energy. But the writing is on the wall: demand for Australia’s fossil fuel exports is likely to dwindle soon, and we must replace it at massive scale. The ...16 hours ago
- Dear Australia, your sympathy helps, but you can’t quite understand Melbourne’s lockdown experie...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Brady, Research Fellow – Community Resilience, University of Melbourne The joy Melburnians feel about coming out of lockdown is palpable, but another thread is also emerging: if you don’t live in Melbourne and haven’t experienced what we’ve experienced, you can’t actually ...17 hours ago
- How to be brave in the face of, you know, everythingWhat does it mean to find courage in the face of a global pandemic, race protests, border strife and climate anxiety? Books editor Catherine Woulfe writes:Christchurch’s Word spring festival opens tomorrow. In real life! A highlight will be the Brave Worlds gala on Friday night, at which luminaries (Becky Manawatu, Witi ...17 hours ago
- ALRANZ Denounces US Senate Confirmation Of Judge BarrettALRANZ Abortion Rights Aotearoa denounces the US Senate’s confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court seat formerly held by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. “This action demonstrates the rank hypocrisy of the once-respected upper chamber ...17 hours ago
- The backlash against big techFrom antitrust suits to restrictive new laws, the world’s digital behemoths are in hot water. So who’s on the naughty list and why? Hal Crawford explains.All around the world, governments are moving against big tech companies. The US government last week filed a suit against Google in an era-defining antitrust ...17 hours ago
- Public sculpture commemorating Dame Hilda RossDame Hilda Ross was the first Hamilton/Waikato woman elected as an MP in 1945 and became the second woman in New Zealand to become a Cabinet Minister in 1949. Artist Matt Gauldie’s bronze sculpture portrays Dame Hilda in Parliament, with one hand ...18 hours ago
- Motorbikes Major Factor In Road TollThe high number of motorbike deaths and injuries in New Zealand has prompted a call for urgent action. Clive Matthew Wilson, editor of the car review website dogandlemon.com , says: “Over Labour Weekend, two of the worst accidents involved motorbikes.“ ...18 hours ago
- Countdown Customer Care Strike Continues As Frustration GrowsCountdown customer care specialists who deal with the supermarket’s online orders are taking partial strike action today and withdrawing labour relating to online shopping as anger grows among workers at the company’s comments about pay and value, ...19 hours ago
- Ranking the strongest ladies in New Zealand – our tunnel boring machinesIn an effort to bring The Spinoff’s favourite format – the ranking – to its knees, Alice Webb-Liddall ranks the most boring thing she can think of: borers.If something is to be named after me when I have passed away after a lifetime of goodwill and national recognition, I would ...19 hours ago
- Pendulum swings back from the mean politics of the market
Leading unionist Richard Wagstaff has high hopes for lasting change after an election that shifted influence from boomers and the market to younger, fairer thinking. It has taken a few days to fully comprehend the enormity of what happened on election night. That’s because there are few moments in politics ...20 hours ago - Stay out of cabinet – be independent, former MP tells GreensBy RNZ News Former Green Party MP Keith Locke says his contemporaries should stay out of the New Zealand cabinet in order to remain critical of Labour while also working constructively with it. Any cabinet positions offered to the Greens by Labour would be a favour, not a necessity, and ...20 hours ago
- Heartland Bank Workers Take Strike Action In Auckland Over Low Pay RatesWorkers at Heartland Bank in Auckland are taking strike action today and walking off the job after unsuccessful negotiations with the employer have failed to result in meaningful increases to wages that union officials say are well below market rates, ...20 hours ago
- 57,000 books to be flicked at Trentham
The National Library is about to hock off 57,000 books for $2 each at a glorified garage sale Steve Braunias, ReadingRoom literary editor: About 57,000 books hauled out of the Overseas Collection at Wellington's National Library are about to be hocked off at a flat rate of $2 per book ...20 hours ago - ParityBOT_NZ Processed Nearly 200,000 Tweets To Find And Fight Online Abuse Over The NZ ElectionAuckland, New Zealand: Of the almost 200,000 tweets directed at women candidates that Areto Labs’ proprietary election Twitter bot, ParityBOT_NZ, processed over the New Zealand election period, nearly 4,000 were classified as toxic and triggered ...20 hours ago
- Emily Writes: Bad Halloween ideas to entertain your little devilsHalloween is just around the corner. If you’re a parent looking for spooky activities to entertain your beastly offspring, Emily Writes has got your back.What to do for Halloween during a global pandemic? It’s a question few parents care about or are asking, but I’m on deadline and so here ...20 hours ago
- From penthouse to prison cell: The downfall of Eric WatsonThe jailing this week of New Zealand playboy businessman Eric Watson was nearly a decade in the legal making, writes the NZ Herald’s Matt Nippert in this Herald Premium article.The fall of Eric John Watson, from penthouse-dwelling playboy to prisoner in apparent penury, didn’t happen overnight. He’s also recently caught ...21 hours ago
- Problems zoning schools 'at heart' of transient neighbourhoods
Schools are the hearts of their communities, – but principals feel they're being treated as pawns. ...21 hours ago - Ngāi Tahu Treaty Settlement Subject Of New UC StudyAs the father of a nine-year-old daughter, David Tikao feels personally invested in how well his iwi organisation – Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu – is distributing wealth to beneficiaries and investing for future generations. He is researching how ...22 hours ago
- Look Out For Animal Health And Welfare Around Guy FawkesThis year, look after the animals - don’t let off fireworks at home or around your community. Every year, veterinary clinics see animals injured and traumatised by fireworks. These include pets, wildlife and stock. Some injuries are horrific. ...22 hours ago
- How the lockdown changed our diets, affected our sleep, and left us lonelyIn 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic prompted New Zealand and much of the world to undertake something few of us had ever contemplated: a near-total lockdown of society. In this Lockdown legacies series, James Dann explores the impacts of those extraordinary measures, intended and otherwise. Today: the lifestyle changes it brought ...22 hours ago
- Green Party should avoid Cabinet positions and remain an independent, critical voice – former ...Former Green Party MP Keith Locke says his contemporaries should stay out of Cabinet in order to remain critical of Labour while also working constructively with it. ...22 hours ago
- Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – October 27 2020Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. Today’s content Labour Party and new Labour Government Andrea Vance (Stuff): ‘Labour Connect’ the data analysis tool that boosted Jacinda Ardern’s campaign Heather du Plessis-Allan (Herald): Time for Govt to take some ...23 hours ago
- 'Walk away from it. Create something that beats like your own heart.'
The Waitangi Tribunal has heard multiple, strong calls for an independent, Māori-run authority to replace Oranga Tamariki. Laura Walters reports Māori leaders have told the Waitangi Tribunal they’re sick of waiting while the Crown fails Māori children and whānau. The Waitangi Tribunal’s Oranga Tamariki Urgent Inquiry has heard a series ...23 hours ago - Op-Ed: The United Nations, 75 years young – Engaging youth social entrepreneurs to accelerate the ...Opinion by Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is the United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). This year, the United Nations is marking its 75th anniversary – a milestone of extraordinary economic and social progress in Asia and ...23 hours ago
- Review: Match Fit shows former All Blacks overweight and struggling – just like the rest of usIn their heyday they were invulnerable, but now the likes of Piri Weepu and Eroni Clarke are all too human. That’s what makes Match Fit so compelling, says Duncan Greive.Match Fit is aimed at the more casual class of rugby fan, but its audience would likely bristle at what lies ...24 hours ago
- National Party post-election review to look at campaign and past three years in oppositionJudith Collins says a review of the National Party's election campaign will extend to the past three years in opposition, but won't say much else. ...24 hours ago
- What would a Biden presidency mean for Australia?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Tony Walker, Adjunct Professor, School of Communications, La Trobe University American presidential elections do not, as a rule, change the calculus much for Australian foreign policy. Elections come and go, American presidents complete their terms and business continues more or less as ...1 day ago
- Our minds may be wandering more during the pandemic — and this can be a good thingSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jennifer Windt, Senior Research Fellow, Monash University Many feel the coronavirus pandemic has changed not just our everyday lives, but also our inner mental lives. There has been talk of a mental health pandemic, but also of lockdown brain fog when we ...1 day ago
- Live updates, October 27: ‘Clearly, more went wrong’ – National Party review underwayWelcome to The Spinoff’s live updates for October 27. All the latest New Zealand news, updated throughout the day. Reach us at stewart@thespinoff.co.nz7.40am: ‘More went wrong’ – Judith Collins speaks ahead of National Party reviewThe National Party is set to reassemble this week to discuss plans for opposition, as the ...1 day ago
- Cool discovery: new studies confirm Moon has icy polesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dempster, Director, Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research; Professor, School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, UNSW Water is more abundant on the Moon than we might have suspected, according to two papers published today in Nature Astronomy that confirm the presence ...1 day ago
- Reimagining the laser: new ideas from quantum theory could herald a revolutionSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Howard Wiseman, Director, Centre for Quantum Dynamics, Griffith University Lasers were created 60 years ago this year, when three different laser devices were unveiled by independent laboratories in the United States. A few years later, one of these inventors called the unusual ...1 day ago
- Wage theft and casual work are built into university business modelsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Damien Cahill, Associate Professor, Department of Political Economy, University of Sydney The COVID crisis has exposed the destructive consequences of an over-reliance on casual labour across the economy. Australian universities provide one of the clearest examples of this. For the past two ...1 day ago
- The Bulletin: Unaffordable dental care in the spotlightGood morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Unaffordable dental care in the spotlight, update on the two crops of Covid cases, and Billy TK quits Advance NZ alliance.One of the weeping sores of the health system is the high cost of dental care, and the health effects ...1 day ago
- Labour and Greens to wrap-up final talks this weekLabour and the Greens will meet again today to thrash out areas they can cooperate on in government. ...1 day ago
- Business & Investing: Infratil eyes acquisition target
Infratil lines up a radiology play in Australia, plus a big week in the US with a third of the S&P500 companies reporting and GDP figures out ...1 day ago - Chihuahua sparks constitutional conversation
A tweet about the oath of allegiance gets to the core of a much-needed conversation about NZ's constitution. ...1 day ago - Who's protecting mum and dad forestry investors?
Arbor forestry investors left with minimal returns after 30 years, say they have been let down by the schemes' managers and by the statutory supervisor they believed was looking after them. ...1 day ago - Grand plan for school zones risks public 'outcry'
Schools able to exploit ambiguous rules to admit children and siblings of former students; now officials implement tougher zone restrictions. ...1 day ago - 'Silver Fern Sammy' gets her second wind
For almost two years, livewire midcourter Sam Winders wasn't wanted by the Silver Ferns. Now she’s back, with new stories to tell - writing books for children Sam Winders reckons she’d make a great character in a kid’s book. “Especially from my primary school days – I was this little red-haired ...1 day ago
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